Andre Koo Technology and Entrepreneurship MBA | Amanda Hanggoro

• Hometown
  Bandung, Indonesia
• Undergraduate
  Bandung Institute of Technology - Management
• Previous Industry
  Education Technology
• Specializations
  Tech Product Management, Strategy, Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Clubs/Involvement
  Stern Technology Association, Gaming and eSports Management Society, Stern Women in Business, Asian Business Society, Stern Football Club

As I already know I want to continue my career in product management, I was looking for a program that can enhance my business acumen and expand my technology knowledge in an efficient way. The Tech MBA program stood out to me because of its comprehensive program with business and tech core courses, experiential learning opportunities, and immersions in both New York City and the West Coast. This combination allows me to learn from leaders in the industry and be involved in hands-on projects, enabling me to be more agile and creative in leveraging technology to solve society's problems.

The people in my Tech MBA cohort are some of the most supportive and resourceful people I met in New York City. Everyone never hesitates to share their expertise and support one another to ensure we enjoy and maximize our time at Stern. For example, when we have a finance class, those with finance backgrounds will help the non-finance people. In return, when we have a database class, those with technical backgrounds will also help the non-technical people. This mindset goes beyond the class setting as we organize peer-to-peer sharing sessions, share career resources, celebrate life events, and do fun activities together.

I value classes with learning by doing concepts and Stern has plenty of classes with this setting. In the Leadership class taught by Nate Pettit, we did a combination of simulation, case study, and reflection discussion which allowed us to learn not only from the resources given in class but also live out the situation and gain insights from class discussion afterwards. I also enjoy experiential classes like Tech Solutions and Endless Frontier Labs in which I work on a project directly with tech companies and start-ups but also still have lectures, guest speakers, and reflections to support the learning process.

Start with reflecting on what you want to get out of an MBA (both personally and professionally), research extensively, and engage with the community to get a better sense of the program as well as prepare for the application. One of my favorite admission events that assisted me in my application process is the Mock Application Session where I get to evaluate a mock application and discuss with the admission team what they are looking for in applicants. Doing online research helps in getting that surface-level information but attending admission events and having 1:1 conversations with current students and alumni were what helped me most in solidifying my decision to pursue Tech MBA at Stern.

Stern's strategic location in New York City exposes me to the city’s tech ecosystem as well as its diverse socio-cultural environment. The program leverages this advantage by bringing in industry leaders and experts to class, organizing company visits, and being involved in the ecosystem. I build on this connection outside of class by attending tech events and doing 1:1 coffee chats with professionals working in the industry. Beyond professional opportunities, I also get to explore my personal interests and build meaningful connections through the city’s vibrant communities.